Thunder and Lightning
by Lushcoltrane
Summary: Jonni Thunder takes on an unusual client and sees the other side… (originally posted 11/23/01)


Disclaimer: The characters are owned and copywritten by DC Comics & Time Warner. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.

Notes: 1 This story is set after the classic multiverse-changing _Crisis on Infinite Earths_ but long before _Identity Crisis._ Definitely before _Flashpoint_ or any of the New 52 relaunch.

2 Jonni Thunder was created by Roy & Dann Thomas and Dick Giordano.

Zatanna Zatara was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson.

Madame Xanadu was created by David Michelinie and Val Mayerik from a design by Mike Kaluta.

3) Originally posted 11/23/01.

* * *

The name's Thunder. I'm a P.I. You know, like _Magnum, P.I_.? Except that instead of a hot red Ferrari, I drive an old, primer-spotted Ford. And instead of speeding around Hawaii, I crawl through the smog and traffic of the greater Los Angeles area.

And I certainly don't have a mustache.

About the only thing I have in common with the fictional TV detective is that we're both smart asses and we both have an affinity for lovely young ladies.

Unfortunately, that hasn't been a factor in my life lately. Much like the ready cash I never seem to have.

I hadn't had a good paying client in too long. I was able to pay my bills, the ones that were printed on pink paper anyway, by taking on surveillance jobs for the divorce attorney down the hall. Dirty work but it helps. But some of the shit I've found make me glad I never found that special someone.

This particular day, a quiet Thursday afternoon, was much like the days before. Lots of nothing. This Thursday, however, was the start of a new chapter in my life. Not a welcome start but I've learned to adapt and roll with the punches.

I was sitting at my desk, surfing the internet for free pictures of naked women, preferably with other naked women (did I mention I'm a lesbian?) when there was a knock on my door. I immediately minimized the browser and called out, "Come in."

The door opened slowly and my breath caught in my throat. There, in the door, was a vision. The woman had long, curly, black hair and lovely eyes. Her figure was exquisite and absolutely perfect. Well, what I could see of it under the long, jade-green dress.

And I was pretty sure there was nothing fake or artificial underneath. Live in La-la-land as long as me, hitting on, and being hit on by, starlets and wanna-be's, and you'll get an eye for that kind of thing too.

There was something about her. Something familiar, like I should know her. But much as I tried to recall why or where I knew her, the thought slipped away.

Clearing my throat, I stood and held out my hand, "Hi, I'm Jonni Thunder. May I help you?"

She stepped up and took my hand. "I am Zatanna Zatara."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Zatara."

"Just Zatanna."

Zatanna? Now the bells were starting to ring. She had some kind of career in show business. Singer? Actress? I wasn't sure but the single name, like Madonna, told me show business and, maybe, big bucks. _Don't blow this one, Thunder,_ I warned myself.

And it wasn't just the possible money talking either. She may have a single name like Madonna but this woman was so far her superior in every way. She was absolutely stunning!

Gesturing towards a chair when I really wanted to take her back to my cramped studio apartment in Venice, I asked, "How may I help you?"

"I need help recovering something that was stolen from me," she replied. She sat as she said this, crossing those long legs. She spoke with a slight accent I couldn't place but it was definitely alluring.

I grabbed a legal pad I used to doodle on when I was surfing the internet and, turning to a blank page – one without amateurishly drawn boobs, I began to get details. Some people are nervous and hold back information when dealing with detectives. Some give too much. I have yet to figure out if that's because they're nervous, embarrassed, or were testing me to see how much I, being female, could figure out. (Damn Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe!)

"What was stolen? Could you describe it? Maybe give me some idea of it's value?"

"It is priceless. To me. Someone stole my powers."

Red flags and skyrockets went off in my head! Powers? Another goddamned metahuman! I swore after the last time, I'd have nothing to do with them anymore. I'd already lost too much dealing with those freaks!

I suppose I should explain. Because of familial ties, I stumbled upon a living Thunderbolt. It came from some old, moldy Inca statue and ended up merging with me. I would change into it when I had to but I really hated it. Due to their supposition that I was related to Johnny Thunder of the old JSA and the damned demon, I became affiliated with Infinity, Inc. for a short time. And it cost me.

The Star-Spangled Kid, AKA Sylvester Pemberton, had been a member of the Justice Society and disappeared into limbo with the Seven Soldiers of Victory long before I was born. When the Soldiers had been freed by the Justice League and some of the JSA, Syl decided to hook up with the kids of his former teammates and thus Infinity Inc.

During an operation I participated in with the damned Thunderbolt, Syl, the only man I might have come to love, was killed. I left the group for good shortly afterwards and spent quite a bit of time trying to get rid of the damned demon. Once I had, I found I'd lost even more when my father, Jim Thunder, had passed away and left me this detective agency.

I vowed to my father's spirit and to myself to stay as far from superheroes as I could. And I was pretty good about it too.

Until the day Jade walked back into my life. She was another Infinity kid, the daughter of the original Green Lantern. She has the most beautiful green skin and hair and the same power as her old man but without the ring.

We started fooling around almost from the beginning. That changed into an exclusive affair that lasted for almost a year before circumstances caused her to head east to live in Manhattan. And, until she fell head over heels for one of the new Titans, we would still get together occasionally. The last time was six months ago when we met at a hotel/casino at Lake Tahoe.

Tahoe has everything on Vegas. The table stakes are lower (a must for a P.I. on a shoe-string), the mountains, and the women. They are so much more real than the silicon jobs in Lost Wages. The last time we were there, Jade and I hooked up with a cocktail waitress, a blackjack dealer, and a Keno girl. What that Keno girl could do with her tongue...

Well, another time for that. She met Argent and I…

I needed to get back to the matter at hand. The tall, sultry dish who wanted me to help her find her missing powers.

"You say you lost your powers? What exactly happened?" I asked. I decided to find out more before refusing the case. And yes, it had to do with those long legs and those deep, dark eyes.

"A rival, Cleo Baldwin, who goes by the stage name, Cleo the Mystic, used an ancient talisman, the Orb of Omagotta, to rob me of my powers," the beauty explained.

"The Orb of Oh-my-God-da?" I asked stupidly. "I've never heard of it."

"It's an ancient talisman but few even knew of it's existence. I myself believed it had been destroyed centuries ago."

"So this Cleo the Mystic stole your powers? And you want me to get them back for you? I'm sorry Ms Za- Uh, Zatanna, but I'm just a simple gumshoe. I don't have any special powers or abilities. I think you'd be better off..."

"No, I know you are the person I need to see. It was...shown to me," Zatanna interrupted.

"Shown? But you said your powers..."

"I consulted an old friend and she illuminated the path I should follow," she explained.

"This old friend, she's a magician too?"

"A seer. A very powerful seer."

"Why can't she help you?" I asked.

"She cannot. The one to help me cannot have any...shall we say, ties to me," she said, staring deeply into my eyes.

Well, that certainly explained absolutely nothing. See why I hate dealing with metas? They either go into a situation with fists flying or are so convoluted in anything they say that your head ends up spinning like a top.

But, with my eyes locked onto hers, I felt an urge to learn more. "Riddles and evasive statements won't help. How 'bout some straight talk?"

She inclined her head in a very discreet, but very sexy, nod. Yes, even her nods were sexy. I had the sinking feeling I was already in this case up to my hips...

"Very well. The problem is two-fold. X is an old lover." X? Anonymous? Interesting. "Because of our history, she cannot become involved without endangering herself. The Orb is very powerful and uses a person's powers and emotions against them. If that person has magical abilities, the problem is more than compounded."

I sat there in silence. To be honest, I was a little stunned. This woman had once been in a lesbian relationship. So that means...

I shook my head. No! No metahumans. No matter how hot and sexy... I kept telling myself that as I followed the line of her calf up to her thigh until it disappeared into the shadows of her tight skirt.

"You, having once had experience in the metaphysical, already have contacts in that world. And, since you have no ties to me other than monetary, and no residual powers, you would not be in danger. At least not to the degree Xanadu or myself would be." She opened her purse and pulled out a roll of bills. If my eyes had jaws instead of lids, they'd've been on the floor when she unrolled the wad. The smallest I could see was a $50.00 bill! "Please, money is no object."

Well, since she put it that way... But I could never take advantage of a beautiful woman. Well, at least not financially.

"Uh, well, it's not that..."

Again, she interrupted me. "You're concerned with dealing with superheroes?"

Stunned, I nodded. "How...?"

"Being a magician, I learned to not rely solely on my powers but also on the subject's body language." Did I detect a gleam in her eye? "But, I'm not in the...game anymore, as it were. After I left the League, I decided to stay with show business."

League. The Justice League. Of course! That Zatanna! Now I heard that whisper in the back of my mind that said I knew who she was. She left the League shortly after that big Crisis. And, thankfully, dumped that goofy red headpiece and went back to her classic stage garb.

"Ms. Thunder?"

"Oh, sorry. I… The Crisis was pretty intense." Way for me to non-sequitor…

She smiled then asked, "Will you take the case? I'd feel better with someone who already knows about magic."

No superheroes is fine but we're still dealing with meta-weirdness. I tried not to let the money, the legs, the body, or her eyes get to me. I failed.

"Okay, you hired yourself an investigator. Now, tell me more about this Orb," I said. I was surprised that I wasn't more surprised at myself for accepting.

Then it fell to dickering about my fee. Well, dickering isn't exactly the right word, she agreed to my terms and even gave me part of her wad of cash as a down payment. With the green stuff on my desk, I felt I owed it to her to get right down to business.

"So, any idea where I can track down this Cleo chick? And her Orb?"

Zatanna told me the Orb had been used by certain sorcerers to strip their enemies of their power. It came from ancient Atlantis, before it sank and became Aquaman's realm. The Orb was created by some mystic lord or prince or high-muckety-muck named Arion as a defense against dark powers that threatened his people.

As it was created for defense rather than attack, the Orb wouldn't give that power to the user, but drained the opponent and held that power like a storage battery, to be restored or vented later. But it had an aura when it contained someone's power.

"She was playing some small club in Long Beach. The Magic Chest," Zatanna said.

"Okay, why did this Cleo take your power?" I asked.

Zatanna smiled, a rather sad but cute smile, "She and I worked a double bill for a time. We also became lovers. Unfortunately, both situations ended badly. She felt I overshadowed her and her abilities. The last time I saw her, she swore she'd become a better magician than I could ever be."

"And...?"

"She called with the premise that we could reconcile. I wasn't interested in renewing our romantic situation, but I did want to try to repair the rift between us. She waited until I was unprepared and used the Orb. Since then, the core of my magic has been missing. It's like I've lost a part of myself..." Zatanna took a deep breath, her eyes closed. I was entranced and felt for her loss as well.

"Here is my cell phone and pager numbers. Please call if you learn anything. Anything at all," she asked, handing me a piece of paper with phone numbers on it. Even her handwriting got to me...

She stood and as I walked her to the door, she took my hand in both of hers. I felt an erotic little tingle shoot right down to my crotch. I hoped my white pants wouldn't stain...

"Thank you for your help. I am playing at Morton's on Wilshire this week. If you find out anything, please come see me. And regardless of how this resolves itself, you might come see my show..." She smiled and I knew I saw a sparkle in her eye that time.

"But if your magic is gone...?"

"Like I said, I learned long ago not to rely too heavily on my magic. I, um, well let's just say I am more than just a pretty face..." She smiled as she left. A beautiful smile that warmed more than the cockles of my heart.

And so she left. And left me in a state...

I decided to take the cash and deposit most of it – nearly two thousand dollars. I keep a few hundred for expenses. After finishing my banking, I headed towards Venice. I felt there was a link somewhere in Venice. Don't ask. I just _knew_.

* * *

Near one of the old canals, I saw a series of small shops. None looked familiar and I'd lived here for a few years. Most had dusty windows with faded Closed signs. One near the middle of this weird block was open. I guess. The old sign in the door said Open.

I knew the area gentrification was only a few years away, at best. In the meantime, I walked up to the door with the dusty glass, took a deep breath and gripped the knob.

I pushed in on the door and it opened to the accompaniment of small bells. It was a magic shop! Why did that not surprise me?

Considering the state of the exterior, the interior was spotless. Cluttered but spotless. And at the back of the room sat a woman with dark hair and dark eyes.

She looked at me and said, "I am Madame Xanadu. You are here to assist a friend. Please, be welcome."

Xanadu? Zatanna's one-time lover? Gotta say the magician definitely has taste. This woman had the patent on cool, dark and mysterious. And she was damned sexy to boot!

She gestured to a chair in front of the table she sat at. On the table, cards were spread in a classic Tarot array. Now, I have little use for Tarot readings. Like astrology columns, they can mean whatever you want them to. But something in her voice, sultry and deep, compelled me to sit.

"I have been made aware of the situation," she said.

"The cards?" I asked in a mocking tone.

"Yes, the cards are an indicator to those who know. But I do not rely on them. Anymore than I rely on..." She gestured to the side and on a small table I saw what had to be a crystal ball! This was too much!

"You are concerned by the strange, unusual aspects of this case. You are no longer comfortable with the supranatural or the supernatural."

"No, you're wrong," I corrected her. "I was never comfortable with any of that crap! I like things down to earth."

"Then why did you take this case?"

How could I answer? Tell this woman that I really liked actually having money in the bank? Or I tell this woman that I had the hots for her old lover?

Her next words shook me. "You are attracted to Zatanna. That and your financial problems compelled you to take on this task." I found myself nodding dumbly. "You are afraid I will be outraged that you find my former lover attractive. You are afraid that you find her attractive. However, you would also do almost anything to avoid anything with any metanatural or supernatural aspect."

"Uh, listen. I just walked in 'cause I never saw this..."

She waved me to silence. "You seek she who has the Orb of Omagotta. This can be very dangerous. The Orb can sense even the slightest interest you have in it's victim. Zatanna can no longer fight against such dangers and so that interest must be purged. There is a way but, unfortunately, due to my closeness with Zatanna, I cannot help you in this either." She almost sounded disappointed.

"Go to Madame Chang's. You know this place? Good. Go there and the protection you need will be granted. You should find it very pleasurable," Xanadu added with a wicked grin.

"That is all I have for you." As I rose, she added, "Help our friend and I shall be indebted to you. Remember the difference between forwards and backwards."

With that cryptic statement, I found myself outside. The street was strangely foggy. In the middle of the day. I turned to look at the shop and saw old familiar canal-side houses instead of seedy shops! What the fuck did I get myself into?

I had to admit I was scared. I was completely out of my depth. But I had taken the retainer. And I think, if I backed out, this Xanadu chick wouldn't be too happy. I don't think many people survived seeing her unhappy.

That and I wanted to see Zatanna smile again.

So, I got in my old beater and headed towards the city center and Little Tokyo. I did know Madame Chang. She was of some help when I had that double-damned Thunderbolt. She might be of some use in this goofy case...

* * *

I cruised the neighborhood but couldn't find any parking close by. Finally, I decided to park on Alameda near Union Station and walk a few blocks. Exercising in that chunky LA air is good for you... Or kill your lungs…

As I walked up First Street, I realized I hadn't eaten yet. The aromas of the various diners and restaurants assailed me. And I'm a sucker for Chinese food. I even know how to use chopsticks!

First things first. Madame Chang's was sandwiched between a Japanese book store and a wholesale toy outlet. Funny thing, Madame Chang is Chinese and has her shop in Little Tokyo instead of Chinatown. But then, Little Tokyo does have an authentic Chinese restaurant or two that are quite good.

Once inside, you wouldn't know you were in southern California. All sorts of magical knickknacks hung from the walls and the shelves had jars of exotic herbs. As I got used to the dimness, a voice called from the back.

"May I help you?"

I turned to see a gorgeous lady in a bright silk gown. She had very long, straight black hair and lovely almond-shaped eyes. This was new. "I'm looking for Madame Chang. She helped me once with a problem and I was hoping… Is she available?"

The young lady shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. Grandmother has gone home to her mother."

Her mother? Madame Chang is at least sixty years old if not more. Her mother must be... Never mind. Concentrate instead on this gorgeous young thing.

"So, may I help you?"

Clearing my throat, I nodded and said, "Perhaps. I'm looking for a talisman of sorts. I was hoping Mada...your grandmother might know where I can find it. And possibly some charm to protect someone who gets near it."

She smiled and it made me weak in the knees. God, it's been too long since… I shook my head as she said, "I have trained under Grandmother for several years. I would be willing to try to assist you. What is this talisman you seek?"

"It's called the Orb of Omagadda...Omigatta...Omi-something."

"Omagotta? That is a very powerful relic of an ancient, long-dead race. Why do you seek it?"

For some reason, I felt I could come clean with this girl so I told her about the case. I omitted my client's name but otherwise, I told her more than she probably needed to know. I get that way around beautiful women. Torture has nothing on beautiful, sexy ladies to get me talking.

"You are aware that the Orb works on feelings as well as powers. You seem to have some feelings for your client. That could be dangerous. We need to remove or replace them before you go any further. By the way, my name is Li."

She took my hand in greeting, "I'm Jonni. Jonni Thunder."

"Yes, Jonni Thunder. Grandmother has spoken of you. You once were possessed of the spirit of a Thunderbolt, were you not?"

"Yeah, but that's in the past. What can you tell me about this case?"

She walked smoothly to the door and turned the sign to read 'Closed' from outside. My eyes were riveted to her backside as it moved silkily under her dress. When she turned back to me, she said, "Come. Let us adjourn to the back. We will have more privacy."

I happily followed that sexy rear to the rear of the store. In a room dominated by an old oak desk and a large, comfortable couch, Li turned and said, "Jonni, you must discard your interest in your client. At least until you have dealt with the Orb. That will not be easy as I can tell you are already aroused by this woman."

"How did you know it was a woman?"

"Nothing mystical, I can assure you. When you explained the case, you mentioned 'she' and 'her' a number of times. Now, the only way to remove this distraction that I am aware of, is to replace it."

As she was saying this, Li closed the distance between us and slid her arms around my neck. Her perfume was intoxicating. And her eyes...

"I believe I can help you in this," she whispered before pressing her lips to mine in a deep kiss. Her tongue snaked into my mouth and parried with mine. She then retreated, and my tongue followed to explore her mouth. She was delicious!

I don't know about you, but I love kissing beautiful women. They have such soft lips and tongues. And they taste so sweet...

As we continued to explore each other's mouths, my hands quickly pulled the long silk skirt up and began to enjoy the luscious curves of Li's soft ass. Meanwhile, Li's hands slid under the waistband of my white pants. One down to my very wet sex and the other up under my dress shirt to cup my breast.

Before I realized what had happened, my clothes were strewn about the room and Li's dress was pooled at her feet revealing one of the most incredibly sexy bodies I've ever seen. She slipped two fingers into me and gently led me to the couch. Without removing her fingers, she pushed me back onto the soft cushions with her other hand and knelt between my legs.

Kissing me once more deeply, she trailed kisses down my chest to my hard-as-a-rock nipples. I was on fire! Her tongue and lips were magical. She gently bit my nipples before running her tongue all over them, bathing them both with her sweet saliva.

Li proceeded further down and finally hit my blazing center. All the breath rushed out of me as her tongue delved into me! She stroked and tickled places with her tongue that drove me wild!

"You are so wet... And so delicious!" Li said as she smiled up at me. Then she dipped her head again and sent me several times to the brink of ecstasy before pulling back.

Finally, I managed, in a lust-filled voice, to say, "Please. Don't stop..."

She didn't. When Li slipped her magical tongue around my clitoris, it was like a 4th of July festival in my head. Then the starbursts merged into one nova-bright light...

When I could finally open my eyes, Li was right there in front of me. We kissed again. A soft, deep kiss this time.

"You should go now," Li said as she stood.

"But, I haven't... I want..." I stammered. And I did want to. I wanted to please this lovely woman. I wanted to taste her essence. I mean, hell, she had just given me one of the best orgasms I've had in a long, long time. I felt I owed her, owed her a debt I was more than willing to repay.

"No, not at this time. Perhaps later," my Asian goddess said.

I pulled on my white pants and shirt, stuffing my bra and panties into the pocket of my matching white jacket along with my tie. Then, I slipped on my white loafers and left Madame Chang's shop.

* * *

As I walked along Spring Street, I was suddenly ravenous and headed for an old favorite. The Far East Cafe. They had the best Chinese food... And in Little Tokyo, no less.

As I sat in one of the smaller booths, a young girl served me. She was lovely. Small framed but delectable. Normally I would be trying to figure out some way to get her into bed with me, but for some reason that urge was not there. All I could think about was Li. How much I wanted to please her...

After finishing my meal, I paid the bill and left the girl a decent tip (something I haven't been able to do much lately). As I walked to my car, I thought about this Cleo the Mystic and the Orb. She's supposed to be in Long Beach.

I found a newspaper box that had copies of the free weekly paper with the inciteful name the Los Angeles Weekly. The Weekly had an entertainment section and I managed to find a listing for Cleo the Mystic at some club I'd never heard of before.

Having left my Thomas Bros. Guide to LA and LA County in my office, I pulled an old, ragged LexOil map from my glove compartment, I found the street the club was on. It was between the Signal Hill oil fields and the ritzy Belmont Shore area. Looked closer to the oil field.

I headed south on the Harbor Freeway, thinking about my options. I could confront Cleo, backstage or during her set. I could find out where she's staying and ransack her room while she's on stage. I could...

From there, my options became less and less legal. I had to stay legit if I wanted to keep my PI license. Even too many traffic tickets could hurt.

As the Palo Verde highlands loomed ahead of me, I turned off and took the San Diego Freeway towards the eastern part of Long Beach. I hadn't been here in years. The downtown area looked pretty nice now. What I could see from a distance at sixty-five miles per hour.

For some reason, at that point, I realized that I had no idea what the damned Orb looked like! Was it some large cats' eye? Onyx? A freaking crystal? I could only hope it was unique enough to stand out.

With visions of the Holy Grail choices in the recent Indiana Jones movie dancing in my head, I pulled into a parking lot for a sleazy little joint near the base of Signal Hill. I quickly retied my tie and shoved my undies in the glove compartment before getting out of my car. I could hear the creak of the oil pumps up near the crest of the hill. The stench of old spilled crude oil was heavy in the air too. The rows of oil storage tanks were visible beyond the store fronts.

The neighborhood fit the atmosphere, dive bars, pawn shops, and a boarded up greasy spoon. There was even a place to sell your blood plasma with a chili joint next door. This 'club', the Magic Chest, fit the neighborhood too. Cleo must be hurting if this is the type of place she was stuck playing.

The sounds of aircraft leaving Long Beach Airport occasionally drowned the creaking of the oil pumps.

What struck me most was the fact that this area was pretty close to the Traffic Circle in east Long Beach, a decent middle-class area. It was also less than a mile to Belmont Shore and Naples Island – a trendy area in east Long Beach.

Still, even with the nearby upper scale neighborhoods, something about this didn't fit. A strong talisman and she was in some Signal Hill dive?

It was only about thirty minutes until her first set so I entered and paid an extravagant cover charge of five dollars. The moose who took my money gave me the once over and made me glad X-Ray vision only came from Krypton.

The place was just as disreputable inside as out. I suppose, once upon a time, when burlesque was still popular, this place might've been a minor showplace of comedians and exotic dancers. Now it was a cheap, tawdry strip joint.

I went to the bar and got the bartender's attention. He came over with a smirk on his face, "Yeah, what'll it be, Blondie?"

"Gimme a beer. Bud. In a bottle," I said, not wanting anything in a glass or from the taps behind that bar. God knows what kind of biological horrors were growing in this joint. "Hey, you know Cleo the Mystic?"

"Yeah, she's about the only thing good on the stage lately. That'll be two-fifty." He placed the bottle in front of me, "You interested? I hear she prefers the ladies and I'd say you do too."

Glaring at him, I slapped down three singles and said, "The money only covers the beer, not your sleazy fantasies."

The goon threw his head back and laughed, "I like you. You got spirit." What am I, a horse? "Reminds me of my ex old lady. She was spunky too." Spunky now...it just kept getting better.

"Listen, the show itself starts in about twenty minutes but Cleo don't come on for almost an hour. If ya wanna, go back there," he pointed to a dim alcove near the stage. "She'll be back there gettin' ready. She does this slinky witchy thing... Hot!"

As I started to move away from the bar, he needlessly added, "And she loves her fans. The female ones, if ya know what I mean..."

I ignored him but I made my way backstage. Backstage. That was a joke. It was a hallway and one large dressing room. The dressing room had a couple of racks of various types of lingerie and tear-away outfits. One wall was a long table and mirrors for the women to slap on the makeup. Towards the back was a bathroom stall with no door.

Nothing like playing the Ritz...

One older woman was ladling the pancake makeup on. I guess she thought the stage lights were kinder than the makeup mirror lights. I certainly hoped so, she needed it.

"Hey, you know Cleo? The Mystic?" Grandma gave me a blank stare but rubbed her fingers together in the eternal sign of greed.

As I resigned myself to paying the woman, another stuck her head out of one of the clothes racks. "Cleo? She's out back in the trailer. Why? She screwin' your old man?" The half-naked woman came out from the rack, "More likely, your old lady?"

"Those natural silicon?" I fired back as I headed towards what looked like a back door. I smiled when I heard "Bitch" and it's echo at my back.

Back out in the petro-stench, I saw a fairly clean Airstream trailer. Knocking on the door, I was greeted by a woman with silver hair. She was about my age and, from what I could see beneath the robe, not a bad figure. With some care and far less makeup, she'd be quite a looker. "Yeah?"

"I'm looking for Cleo the Mystic."

"Look, I don't entertain before shows. If you're still here after my sets, maybe we could work something out. I think I'd like that," she said with an appraising look in her eye.

"Uh, thanks, but I was hoping for a chance to talk. Just talk," I said. "Can I come in?"

"Just talk? Yeah, okay. I gotta finish putting my makeup but I can talk." She stepped aside and I entered what had to be her home. This wasn't just a traveling camper but her permanent address, I was guessing.

"What do you want to talk about? Want a drink? Help yourself." She gestured towards the kitchenette and a well-stocked liquor rack.

"Thanks, no. I'm from the Metropolitan Museum in Midway City. We heard you might have an artifact we'd love to talk about putting on display."

"Yeah, what kind of artifact?" Cleo said as she sat at a small desk she had converted to a makeup table.

"It's the Orb of Omagotta," I said, laying my cards on the table.

"Alright! Who the fuck are you? What do you know about the fucking Orb?" Cleo had risen from her table and was trying to stare me down.

"I told you..."

"Yeah? Well, show me some credentials! What museum was it again? What city?" There was a nasty gleam in her eye that I definitely did not like. She grabbed a nail file and was coming towards me. "How 'bout I work the information outta ya? You like that bitch?"

"Whoa! Hold the phone!" I took a step back and my butt hit the kitchenette counter. She kept getting nearer with that little file...

Stupid! I was so befuddled by the events of the day that I completely forgot about my gun. I pulled the old Army .45 caliber from the holster at my back and pointed it at Cleo. Wisely she stopped.

"Just hold it, sister. Drop the nail file..." There are times I amaze myself at how much I sound like some bad detective movie, like now. "Now, just sit your cute little butt down and tell me where the Orb is."

"Fuck you!"

What a mouth on such a little thing. And, since I knew it wasn't an invitation, I declined to respond in kind.

"Fine, you wanna play it that way, I can just knock you out and search the place," I lied. I would never whack someone on the head unless it was self-defense. That didn't play here since she already dropped the file. "Maybe I just need to tie you up... Then I have all night to tear this truck apart."

That, the darting glance, was what I was waiting for! She looked at a cabinet over the small sink.

With an order to stay where she was, I slid my piece into the front of my waistband and pulled open the cabinet.

As I rummaged through it, I saw that there wasn't much there. Some cans of soup and baked beans, a box of Uncle Ben's, an old, dented Cracker Jack tin of flour (according to a masking tape label on the side), about a gross of SweetN'Low packets, and some peeling shelf paper. Nothing that looked like a mystic Orb.

I took a bowl from the counter and poured out the rice. Nothing there but what looked like some kind of bug parts... Ugh, remind me never to eat dinner at Cleo's place!

Opening the Cracker Jack tin, I saw it was only about half full. I shoved my hand into the few inches of flour groping blindly for a prize inside. Nice thing about wearing white in situations like this, flour blends in much better than a dark suit.

Wait...my fingers brushed something. It felt like it was about the size and shape of an egg. I reached around the unseen object. Just as my fist closed on the thing in the flour, the bitch screamed and slammed into me from behind. Flour exploded everywhere and I heard the Orb (or whatever was in the flour) slide across the floor.

I turned and slugged her. What a surprise, she had a glass jaw and folded. Then I could only shake my head at my own stupidity. How could I let some psycho chick get the drop on me by turning my back?

I found the ruby-red jewel near the door. It did seem to glow internally. The aura Zatanna told me about, I suppose.

I grabbed it and suddenly my mind was full of Li! All I wanted at that moment was to take her in my arms and worship her. The need to hold her and feel her and pleasure her was the sum total of my existence. I was having trouble breathing and I knew it was because Li wasn't with me. Despair and a sense of sadness engulfed me. All I wanted was Li. That wasn't too much to ask, was it?

Maybe the Thunderbolt could help. It could bring me to her or... I wished, for the first time ever, for the bolt to show up and felt a rush of power around me.

"Say you!"

[Hey! How did I get here? You don't have any control on me. I don't have to listen to you anymore. You refused me...] the living lightning said.

"No, wait! Just bring me the girl. Li Chang. I have to have her, be with her... Please..."

[Nope! No can do.]

"What? Why?"

[You're no longer my master. And she has some powerful wards to protect her from me. Anyway, you said you wanted to be yourself and do things for yourself. Well, now's your chance...]

With that, the pink Thunderbolt was gone. I was alone and I wanted Li! That damned Bolt! I was gonna get him...it... I'll get that damned thing!

Of course! Now I realized that was why Li did what she did. It was her ward for me against the magic of the Orb. And Li could protect herself from what the Orb could do, like compelling my Thunderbolt to return. As long as I desired Li, Zatanna didn't matter and the Orb couldn't use that against me. Also, since Li wasn't directly involved in the situation, she was safe from the Orb's power.

And my anger at the Thunderbolt broke the spell the Orb had on me. Now, I needed to try to see how to free Zatanna's magic from the Orb. Give it to her?

No. None of those. I don't think it'd be safe to give the Orb to a defenseless magician. Look what it almost did to me. Smash it? Not freaking likely! I wasn't about to chance recklessly unleashing whatever power was held within it. And that wouldn't guarantee that Zatanna's power would return to her.

So there I was, in a cheap magician's trailer, covered in flour with some ancient powerful talisman in my hand.

In Long Beach of all places!

Cleo started to stir. I punched her again. No need to deal with some psycho lesbian burlesque chick while contending with this hunk of crystal.

My mind was racing. Trying to remember what I knew about Zatanna. She used to be in the Justice League. Her father was a magician too. They both used to do stage acts and she returned to the stage after her superheroing days.

Her act...I saw a TV special with her once. It was a long, all-star charity gig with Copperfield, Lance Burton, Siegfried and Roy, Penn and Teller, Zatanna, Charo (she was the sole non-magickal person and only there for her goochy-goochy bit) and a bunch of others. I remember watching it, trying to see past the smoke-and-mirrors angle. Hard to do on a crappy ten-year old television.

Backwards! What that weird Xanadu chick said. Backwards. All of Zatanna's and her old man's spells worked when they said things in reverse. Hell, it was worth a shot. Right?

I held the crystal up at eye level and said, "Zatanna to return, magic."

Nothing. Well, I guess. Finding Cleo's phone was tricky but I finally discovered it under some heavily perfumed lingerie. I resolved to wash my hands in Borax once I was done. I did make a point of putting the Orb down on the far side of the room.

"Hello? Zatanna?" Oh God, her voice was sending shivers...even on a recording. "This is Jonni Thunder. I found the Orb and tried to send your powers back to you and didn't know if it worked. I'm leaving here and heading to the club. Morton's on Wilshire. I should be there soon."

Wait. It's not just the words out of sequence...but the pronunciation. Okay, worth a shot. I grabbed the jewel again.

"Anna-zat... to nurt-er...ci...gam."

Still nothing as far as I could tell. I guess I could try one more time. Maybe I can't send it to her from here.

"Jonni to...emoc...cigam..."

Damn it! 'Jonni to'?! That's not backwards...

"Innoj...to... Damnit! Innoj ot...emoc...cigam."

Suddenly there was a roaring sound and blinding lights all over the place. What was...?

The roar hit a peak and the windows of the Airstream blew out. I staggered as if one of the L.A. Rams Defensive Line had slammed into me. What the hell happened?

Then I felt it. The power was inside of me. This was different that the damned Bolt. This was strong but not aware. It was like some super talent or ability. I wonder if this is what Superman feels like?

I decided to give it a try. "Ria-per swod-niw..."

The windows were all back…intact. This was kind of cool. I could get used to this...

I looked at Cleo. I felt sorry for her in a weird way. She was basically pathetic. A no-talent stripper who somehow had latched onto Zatanna and got a taste of the Big Time. Maybe...

"Nruter ytinas. Reappa tnelat neddih s'eolC." I figured it was worth a shot.

She quivered for a second. I quickly felt for her pulse and it was strong. Good. Maybe I better be a little more careful with this stuff... I could ask Zatanna...but she'll want it back. Wonder if we could share it?

I almost grabbed the rock from the floor but fortunately I paused and thought about it. Grabbing a dirty dish towel, I wrapped it tightly and shoved the small bundle into the only bag I could find; a grease-stained brown paper bag that reeked of French fries.

"This is going in the trunk," I said aloud as I went out to my car. Then I pulled away from the sleazy club, only partially wondering how they'd fill their star's spot.

As I headed north towards L.A., I began to feel light-headed. Even a little feverish. This was definitely not good.

* * *

I pulled into the alley behind the club. I wasn't about to pay valet rates for this clunker. Parking between two dumpsters, I headed for the back door.

Even from here, I could tell this was the exact opposite of the fleabag joint near Signal Hill. A wave of nausea hit me just as I pulled on the locked door. "Rood nepo!" And the door opened for me. This backwards talking was getting easier.

I was stumbling down a corridor behind the stage area when I saw a vision ahead of me. A tall woman with long, dark hair. She had on a white, men's dress shirt and white bow tie under a black vest and man's tuxedo jacket with tails. Below the waist was a pair of very short black hot pants and long legs encased in fishnet stockings. On her head was a black top hat and on her feet were black, spike-heeled shoes.

Things were getting foggy at this point and I knew I was going to hit the floor. As it came rushing up to meet me, something stopped me and everything went black.

* * *

Cool, wet. On my forehead. My cheeks. Cool. Wet.

I managed to open my eyes to see the tuxedoed vision smiling down on me. It was Zatanna. She must have been getting ready to go on stage.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better," I croaked out the lie. I felt heat and pressure all over my body, pushing to get out. Oddly, the sensation was strongest close to the raven-haired woman.

"Good. I believe you have something of mine?" she asked in that sexy accent, humoring me. She lifted my head off her lap and stood over me.

"Is...is that what's...?"

"I'll explain it but first you should..."

"Say the secret word?" I managed to joke.

"And the duck'll give you a hundred dollars," Zatanna replied. Quoting Groucho was almost enough to make me laugh even as my body felt like it was going to erupt.

In a harsh, grating voice I said, "Annataz ot...nruter...srewop."

I suddenly saw bright lights and felt something leave me. Something hot and powerful. The lights swirled around like some manic laserium show until it all came together around Zatanna's head. Then sudden silence.

I felt one thousand percent better, that pressure was gone and the heat… But Zatanna looked like hell. I got up and reached out to her. Her eyes snapped open and she reeled for a moment before I caught her.

"Gods and goddesses above! I feel whole again... Thank you, Jonni."

"Your powers are back?" I asked.

"Yes, they have been returned to me. Thank you." Already I could see she was recovering from the power blast. Or whatever you wanna call it.

"What happened to me? I felt like I had a fever and I could barely even see anything."

"You are homo sapien. Your body, without proper, very extensive training, cannot contain the power it had. I am homo magus. And such power is my birthright. While I could survive without my magic, you would have perished with that same magic."

She stepped to a mirror and I realized we were in her dressing room. This alone put the entire Magic Chest to shame. She brushed a few spots in her hair and picked up the top hat that had fallen earlier. And offered me a lovely view of her ass as the tux tails slid to the sides.

Brushing off nonexistent dust, she smiled at me. Now I know what people mean when they call it a bewitching smile. "Thank you, Jonni. Please stay until I finish my show?" I nodded. "Good. If you wish to watch, stand in the wings. I think you'll enjoy the show..."

Dumbly I followed her and stood off stage right as she performed. The crowd, mostly upscale, well-to-do professionals, ended up giving her several standing ovations. Zatanna did two curtain calls and was about to do a third when she looked at me.

She strode over to me and asked, "What did you think of the show?"

"Marvelous," I said, only half lying. She was marvelous, so much that I hadn't been paying attention to the performance. Only to her.

"Come back to my room with me?" she asked. "I believe I owe you a bonus."

"Sure," I said, like I would give myself any other choice, bonus or no.

Once back there, she set her top hat on the small makeup table. Then she picked up a bottle of champagne from a silver ice bucket. "Chateau Rothschild. And a very good year. Got it while I was hoping for the best for my powers. Would you honor me by joining me?"

I nodded again. It was becoming a damned reflex.

"Krocnu elttob!" The cork popped out and fell to her hand. There were times, like this instance, where her powers made me think of Samantha in _Bewitched_ or Jeannie in _I Dream of Jeannie._ Usually, though, it was pretty bad-ass how she could use that supernatural talent.

She picked up two glasses and poured the pale, effervescent drink and handed me one.

"A toast to you, Jonni. You did me a tremendous service. Cheers." We clinked glasses before she drank deeply from the glass.

I drained my champagne as well. Now, I'm a beer and shot kinda gal but that was delicious champagne. I happily accepted a refill.

"Jonni, I feel explanations are in order. Then we can discuss your bonus," Zatanna said as she sat on the white loveseat. Patting the cushion next to her, she continued, "I was so focused on getting the power back, I forgot how dangerous this could've been for you. I apologize."

Sitting next to her, smelling her sweet sweat mingled with her subtle perfume, I said, "I'm a private detective. Danger comes with the territory."

Okay, so that's a cliché mainly used in comic books and B movies but it sounds good.

"Perhaps but you were in grave danger. I should've guessed you would take on my stolen powers. Even involuntarily. I should have told you to bring the Orb to me."

"But you said it would be dangerous for you to touch it?" I asked, confused. "And it didn't give me much of a chance…"

"Yes, but we could have accessed my powers more safely with a closer proximity between us. So I do apologize."

Waving off her apology, I asked, "Why didn't it affect Li? If Xanadu was in danger, why not Li?"

"While both are able to wield mystic power, Xanadu was the one I had been close to. I don't know the younger Madame Chang. I only know the reputation..." I nodded as Zatanna confirmed some of my suppositions. But something she said confused me.

"Wait. Li Chang was the girl I...I was, uh, with," I asked. "Madame Chang is in her sixties, at least."

"No, Li is Madame Chang. Her grandmother recently returned to their ancestors after passing on her knowledge and powers to Li. However, Li doesn't feel right taking the title Madame as she's still single. No children either. When she finds the right whoever… Did you know she was bisexual?"

"Um… Well, I kinda…" I was touching my tie and collar like Rodney Dangerfield.

"I take it this is not a complaint?" The last was said with a small, sly smile.

"No," I replied. "I...well, I kinda like the new Madame C, but I never... Li said Madame Chang was with her mother... Oh!" Even I could see the lightbulb. "Anyway, you were saying."

"Yes, the Orb can be dangerous to those close to the one trying to use it. I was vulnerable without my powers. Xanadu was vulnerable because of the intimate nature of our former relationship. But as it was my power the Orb was using, it had no way to attach itself to Li."

"Your power?"

"Yes, the Orb utilizes the most recent power it absorbs," Zatanna explained.

"Okay, why did the Thunderbolt show up? I thought it was banished from me..."

"The Orb can exercise control over imps, including lightning demons. But only to the extent that you do. It called the Bolt forth but, again, due to the limitations of the Orb, it could not compel the demon to bring you your desire."

"Why Li?" I asked, already thinking I knew the answer. Then I added, "Not that I'm complaining."

Zatanna smiled and said, "Li already has strong wards in place to protect her. Xanadu could have done the same, has done the same actually, but there was always the chance that those wards would fail due to our sentimental attachment. If that had occurred, she could then be taken and we all would have lost. I will tell you that X regretted she could not help you."

"Really?" I smiled.

"I do, as well."

I smiled even wider.

She leaned over, her scent filling my senses, as her soft, warm lips brushed mine. I felt a tingle, like a mild electric shock. I pulled back momentarily.

Looking into her dark blue eyes, I saw a longing and need that mirrored my own. This time I leaned in and kissed her. This was a deeper, longer kiss. First our lips slid together then, almost at the same instant, we opened our mouths and our tongues met. The rapture I felt from that contact was, I hoped, only a prelude to what we would experience.

Zatanna's tongue had a magic all it's own as it explored my mouth. Her breath, as it puffed into me, was creating a practically subconscious sensation of the finest perfume. Her hand danced under my white jacket and across my shirt, barely touching but exciting my nipples.

After a long, passion-filled kiss, Zatanna sat back. "I enjoyed that."

"So did I," I managed to say. "Are we going to...?"

"Do you want to?" I simply nodded. "As do I. But first..." Zatanna looked towards the door.

"Kcol rood. There, that should give us some privacy," she said. "Now, where were we?"

I helped remind her. I slipped my hand across her cheek and into that black mass of hair. So soft, it was like silk on my skin.

I cupped the back of her head and brought her mouth once more to mine. I fell back on the loveseat and she followed. Her hair fell around our faces like a dark curtain.

I've loved women with all types of hair from long to short to bald. But I love to have a woman with long hair above me as we kiss - the way their hair falls and cuts us off from the rest of the world so that all that matters is our kiss. Just the thought of that makes me moist. The actual event has me soaked.

As the raven-black tresses gave us that illusion of privacy, I could feel her heavy breasts through the material of our shirts and jackets. But I wanted to feel her. All of her against me.

As if she read my mind, Zatanna pulled back and said, "I believe we have too much impeding us. Wouldn't you agree?" Again, I nodded. "Shall we do this the traditional way or...?"

"The quickest way," I said, cupping her firm ass under the tails of her tux. I pulled her firmly against me and I was certain I could feel her heat even through all the clothes.

She nodded, her eyes flashing with gleeful lust. "Sehtolc ruo yawa ekat. Edun su ekam."

Suddenly I felt the soft heat of her flesh pressing mine. Her large, round breasts nestled with my smaller boobs. And the heat of her core was searing my thigh pleasantly.

"How is that?" she asked with a giggle.

I answered her with another devouring kiss. I loved kissing her. And from her response, I guess she enjoyed it too.

Breaking the kiss for a moment, Zatanna said "Afos eht ot su evom."

Suddenly, we were in the air! And floating across the room! Through Zatanna's glossy, silky curtain, I caught a glimpse of one of the mirrors and saw her curly, black hair mixed with my straight blonde cut as our long hair hung down below my floating head. Zatanna resumed kissing me and I didn't even notice when we settled onto the longer couch. I didn't care either!

After we had settled, we moved so that our thighs were pressing against each other's mound. Then we began to move against each other. As the wetness built up, the movement was easier but more and more exciting.

As we humped each other's leg, we never broke our long kiss. As our tongues danced, our breathing quickened and we were panting into each other.

As the pleasure within us built up, Zatanna pulled back gasping. She left out a breathless scream and I felt her warm climax on my leg. That was all it took for me; with my heart racing and my eyes clenched shut I shouted out and exploded against my new lover.

We lay in each other's arms for several long minutes as our pulse rates returned to normal. Our sweat-slicked bodies were pressed tightly together as we held each other. While we recovered from our initial passion, we shared long, slow kisses and quietly gazed into each other's eyes.

I have to say, much as I loved Jade's deep green eyes (when she was powered up) and Lyta's beautiful blue eyes, this creature's dark blue, lust-filled eyes were wonderful. I felt like I could lose myself happily in their depths for an eternity.

Finally, Zatanna spoke. "I could find myself quite comfortable if I never had to move again."

"Yeah. This is nice." Nice? I said nice? It was wonderful, stupendous, even magical. (But no pun intended.) It was all of that and more. And all I could say was nice?

"Zatanna, I, uh, I'm not good at saying what I mean but..."

"I know. I can see it your eyes, darling. Do not worry." She smiled that fantastic, heart-melting smile and said, "I would like to experience more of you. Would you like that?"

This time I allowed my enthusiasm to show, "Yes! I want you too!"

She lowered her head and began to suckle on my breasts. I have never been overly proud of them but she lavished such love and tenderness and made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Her tongue traced patterns on my bosom and I finally realized she was creating patterns. When I glanced down at the top of her raven-black hair, she stopped and spoke into me, her voice exciting me further.

"I am making Celtic love symbols on you with my saliva. I hope it will heighten our pleasure."

"Come up here," I said.

"In a moment. Only a touch more to do..." She applied her tongue directly to my right nipple and sent jolts of pleasure through me. Then she repeated her tongue work on my left nipple. No one has ever made my breasts feel so...electric.

I opened my eyes and saw her looking down on me. She kissed me deeply and tenderly. Then I pulled her up until her soft, round breasts were in front of me. They were absolutely gorgeous. And absolutely real.

I glanced up and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know any Celtic designs but..." She smiled again and I took one of her magnificent orbs in my mouth.

Washing all around the nipple with my tongue in random patterns, I felt the goose bumps as I brought her some of the pleasure she had brought me. I loved the feel of her hard nipple against my tongue. The soft warm flesh filled my mouth as I held her other heavy breast in my hand.

I started switch back and forth, wishing I could take both in my mouth at the same time. Biting quickly and pulling her left nipple, I heard Zatanna growl low in her throat as her head fell forward. Her long black hair fell around us in fragrant waves.

She whispered, "I want you."

Glancing up, I saw lust-darkened eyes staring intently at me. I knew she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Kissing, we acknowledged our mutual desire. Her tongue was insistently dancing with mine, raising my temperature and heart rate.

"Tfil dna nips," she muttered against my cheek. I felt her weight disappear as she floated up from me. Disappointment gripped me until I saw her lush body turn so that she was looking towards my feet.

"Em rewol."

Her body slowly dropped back onto me, her thick black bush right in front of me. I ran my fingers through the dark fur as I felt hers combing my blond curls.

I could see into her, a lovely, wet cavern that I wanted to lose myself in. Inhaling deeply, I could smell the heady perfume of her need. A need I was going to do everything to sate.

I both heard and felt her mutter, "Tiaw msagro." Her breath on my wet lips felt wonderful and I didn't bother to try and figure out what she said. I had too much to occupy myself with...

My fingers curved around the curves of her ass as I pulled her to my waiting mouth. When her nether lips pressing against my mouth, it was as if we were sharing a close-mouthed kiss. Opening my mouth, my tongue snaked out and tasted her essence for the first time. Wonderful, tangy and spicy. There was an exotic texture to her sexual honey that I had never before experienced. It was almost addictive.

My tongue explored her outer labia before delving into the hidden treasure of her womb. I quickly learned where she was most sensitive and returned to those spots again and again. I was scooping out her dew as fast as she gave it to me, a sure sign that I was pleasing her.

While I was making love to her lovely sex, she was doing the same to me. Her tongue, lips, and fingers were lively and exciting. I knew I was flooding her mouth with my own juices and that further excited me.

I slipped two fingers into her as I began to suckle on her clitoris. It swelled even more between my lips as I sucked! She was obviously really into this.

So was I. And I normally do not like 69's. Too distracting trying to give and get pleasure at the same time. But this felt perfect.

Her body tensed slightly and I knew I had found that special spot inside of her. Brushing my fingertip against the G-spot again caused her to moan into me. Those vibrations sent shudders through me.

And our pattern was set. I licked the nubbin in my mouth, caressed the sweet spot inside Zatanna, Z quivered and moaned into my mound, and I shivered at the vibrations. I could do this all night.

Waves of pleasure and joy washed through me, each one nearer to cresting but ebbing just before I would climax. That was fine with me. I love having a beautiful woman's face between my legs. And I love pleasing a beautiful woman.

We kept on in this wonderfully delicious pattern for quite a while. But I knew I'd soon have to come. I was pretty sure Zatanna did too. I don't know how we managed this long.

Again that pleasant buzzing against my labia as my magical lover whispered something into me. I felt her body clench and a flood of her honey cascaded over my face as my body went rigid and...

Ecstasy!

The only word to describe the feelings blasting through my body. It became so intense, I actually passed out.

When I opened my eyes, I looked down into Zatanna's bright blue, smiling eyes. Somehow, probably magically, she had rearranged us so that I was laying on her.

"You are exquisite," Zatanna said.

"So are you," I replied. It's hard to stay hard-boiled when you're in the arms of a woman you just shared an incredible sexual experience with.

We kissed again. This was a slower, more languid kiss. Simply our lips and tongue sliding gently together. We wanted to share our feelings in this most intimate way.

Finally, Zatanna said, "I think we might find a more comfortable place, don't you?"

I nodded and climbed off her. Looking around, I spied our clothes laying on the love seat, folded neatly. I began to dress as Zatanna said, "I am sorry. I don't know what could've happened to your underwear. They don't seem to be here."

I smiled and said, "They're in my glove compartment. It's not important... But the Orb is still in my trunk."

"We'll just have to take care of that, won't we?"

* * *

We left the theatre and took my car down to the shore. There, I held the greasy bag up as Zatanna said the right words to cause it to disappear into the Challenger Deep, the deepest area in the Marianas Trench. What would the pimply-faced teenager, who doled out the fries and whatever else, think if they knew that bag was in the deepest part of the ocean with one of the most powerful talismans in existence?

Then we headed back to her hotel, cuddling in the front seat of my car.

We went to her hotel and made love the rest of the night. The sky in the east was turning pink when we finally decided to rest. We slept in each other's arms for most of the day.

* * *

"Will you come to the show tonight, dear?" Zatanna asked.

"Sure. I don't have any plans..." Then, realizing how cold I sounded trying to regain my 'tec attitude, I said, "I'm sorry. I'd love to come."

"You will..." Zatanna promised with a wickedly delicious gleam in her eye.

"Hey, was this my bonus?" I asked lightly, indicating the thoroughly used bed.

"No, it was mine."

* * *

Several weeks later, Zatanna and I attended a performance at an upscale club in Huntington Beach. It was a new singing sensation and she was...well, sensational. To be honest, I was more than a little nervous going to see her. It was Cleo the Mystic.

You see, it turns out I was able to cast a worthwhile spell before giving Z back her powers. Cleo had been discovered. She dropped 'The Mystic' and was back to being Cleo Baldwin. Her first cd, "Lost the Magic" was about to be released and her show consisted of a live performance of those songs.

When she sent a special invitation to us, I was leery about going. Too cynical? Maybe, but it's kept my sexy butt alive. Z persuaded me, if you know what I mean...

Let me tell you, she is well worth the time and money to see live. She is gorgeous now and her voice... The songs, all written by her, are hauntingly romantic. She even dedicated one about new love to us. I was blushing all through the song. Zatanna just smiled and held my hand.

We ended up thanking her in private, after her show. Cleo and I still occasionally see each other. She's hired me to look over her security for the upcoming concert tour.

Zatanna and me? I'd like to say we lived happily ever after but…

Shortly after that, Z's run at Morton's ended. It was only a limited test run before she did a national tour. Knowing about this ahead of time didn't help, we still had a tearful last night together. And, while she promised to write and call and we would undoubtedly get together again and again, we knew the singular nature of our love affair was over.

Ah well, this is Los Angeles after all. There are a lot of fish in the sea, so to speak.

You know, I really have to work on those clichés.


End file.
